MASS. – The Massachusetts Department of Public Health reported Thursday six new cases of monkeypox in adult males within the past week, bringing the state’s total to 13 cases since the first Massachusetts case was announced on May 18.
DPH now provides public updates on monkeypox in Massachusetts on a weekly basis each Thursday. The six cases announced on Thursday had their diagnoses between June 16 and June 22 after initial testing was completed by the State Public Health Laboratory in Jamaica Plain.
Confirmatory testing is done at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. DPH is working with local health officials, the patients, and healthcare providers to identify individuals who may have been in contact with the patients while they were infectious. All six individuals are currently isolating to prevent spread to others.
Current data from CDC indicate that there have been 156 cases of monkeypox virus this year in U.S. residents. Updated case counts can be obtained on the CDC’s website: 2022 U.S. Map and Case Count.
There have been no deaths in the US or globally related to this outbreak and patients generally recover fully in two to four weeks.
